Archive for the ‘Volvo XC90’ Category

A Reddit user posted a video of what appears to be a late-2000s Volvo XC70 getting into a head-on collision with a massive truck. Usually, this is the kind of video that makes you cringe, knowing the occupants of the vehicle were severely injured, but they were driving a Volvo. If you ever questioned whether or not Volvo made safe cars, well this is a real-world crash test that answers with a definite YES.

There isn’t a lot of information to go by, but we know this is an older XC70 that didn’t include things like lane-keep assist or the like. Clearly, the Volvo driver was at fault. Prior to the crazy accident, the vehicle slowly drifts out of its lane and right into the path of that big truck. It doesn’t even appear as if the drive in the Volvo hit his brakes, so he was probably distracted with more important things – you know, a text message, browsing facebook, or watching porn.

The car behind him was the lucky one with a dash cam and was actually able to stop before making things worse, but what happens after that is sheer lunacy. For a collision that would likely result in injury for most cars on the road, this driver seems more angry than anything, throwing a big piece of the dash, which was obviously karma’s way of slapping him in the face, out of the car. I’m sure there were a few naughty words said in the process and, according to later posts, the driver walked away uninjured.

Regardless of what caused the accident, it goes to show one thing – Volvos are pretty damn safe. I’m sure the driver was sore the next day, and he probably got whacked in the face by that piece of dash trim pretty good. But, considering what the outcome could have been, I’m pretty sure he should be writing Volvo one hell of a thank you note – their design philosophy probably just save his life, or at the very least, saved him from serious injury.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go trade in my Volkswagen Golf for an older Volvo XC70. Check out the video below, and I’m sure you’ll want to do the same.

At this point, you already know about Uber’s fatal crash, and you know that neither the vehicle (artificial intelligence) or the person behind the wheel applied the brakes. Well, a report coming out of The Information cites sources close to the matter, saying that the software identified the cyclist but chose to ignore it. Let me repeat that. The car’s sensors realized there was a pedestrian in the road, but made a decision not to react right away.

This sounds like a clear-cut case AI taking the chance kill (let’s not forget about that robot that said it wanted to kill the human race) but the truth is that Uber’s software was “tuned” to ignore false positives. So, what is a false positive? Think about a plastic bag in the road or somebody’s old beer can rolling around in the street. It happens, and we all
ignore it too. Uber claims that it’s simply a case of tuning gone wrong, or in other words, Uber’s software was set to react less to certain objects in the road. So much for erring on the side of caution.

At this point, you already know about Uber’s fatal crash, and you know that neither the vehicle (artificial intelligence) or the person behind the wheel applied the brakes. Well, a report coming out of The Information cites sources close to the matter, saying that the software identified the cyclist but chose to ignore it. Let me repeat that. The car’s sensors realized there was a pedestrian in the road, but made a decision not to react right away.

This sounds like a clear-cut case AI taking the chance kill (let’s not forget about that robot that said it wanted to kill the human race) but the truth is that Uber’s software was “tuned” to ignore false positives. So, what is a false positive? Think about a plastic bag in the road or somebody’s old beer can rolling around in the street. It happens, and we all
ignore it too. Uber claims that it’s simply a case of tuning gone wrong, or in other words, Uber’s software was set to react less to certain objects in the road. So much for erring on the side of caution.

According to Aptiv, the company that supplies Volvo’s radar and camera, Uber had disabled the standard collision avoidance system on the XC90 that plowed into that pedestrian. For now, everyone else is remaining largely silent with Uber declining to comment and Volvo saying the company can’t speculate on the cause of the incident. However, Intel’s Mobileye, Aptiv’s supplier of chips and sensors for collision-avoidance systems played a video of the incident, and its software was able to detect the pedestrian one second before impact even with the “second-hand” quality of the video.

This, of course, is a move by Aptiv and Intel to protect themselves and their client, Volvo, who was apparently – -if these reports are to be believed – free of fault as the systems were disabled during the incident. This notion certainly angles the blame at Uber’s technology, which could be a huge problem for the company as Arizona has already revoked its permission to test autonomous cars on public roads. And, it certainly goes to show that Uber has a lot of work to do and really has no business having driverless cars on the road. The question now is, whether or not the rest of Uber’s autonomous operations will be subject to interruption. After all, the company just got done boasting its autonomous truck fleet.

For what it’s worth, disabling standard safety equipment included with vehicles at purchase may be a normal practice in order to help facilitate testing Uber’s own self-driving system. Even if it is standard practice, it looks like that standard practice may change in the near future, don’t you think?

Volvo and Uber aren’t messing around with their partnership. The two companies initially signed a strategic agreement in 2016 that included Volvo supplying Uber with a fleet of XC90 SUVs. Now, Uber’s taking it to a whole new level by ordering 24,000 units from the Swedish automaker between 2019 and 2021. No mention was made on which Volvo models Uber is getting, but all units will come with autonomous driving technology.

A sign of things to come?

“It really isn’t so much about the Volvo-Uber partnership itself; it’s about the sheer size of the reported order”

It’s impossible to understate the significance of this development in the Volvo-Uber partnership. This is big news if it does happen because it could set a precedent for tech companies who are looking to gain entry into the world of autonomous driving.

It really isn’t so much about the Volvo-Uber partnership itself; it’s about the sheer size of the reported order. If that 24,000-unit number reported by Reuters is accurate, it would be the largest order of its kind from a tech company. The order is large enough that if it decides to take that direction, Uber would have access to a large enough fleet that will allow it to get its commercial autonomous ride sharing program off the ground. That’s always been one of the end goals for tech firms like Uber who are investing millions upon millions of dollars on a business that has the potential to reinvent the whole public transportation sphere.

There’s been no confirmation on either Volvo or Uber’s side on what kind of models are included in the order. The Swedish automaker did say that every one of them will be based on its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, essentially narrowing the field down to the S90 sedan,V90 wagon, and XC60,XC90 SUVs.

The time is now for Uber and Volvo

“Uber’s massive order of Volvo vehicles is just one example of how competitive this business has become”

Take a look at the budding landscape of the autonomous driving segment. Automakers and tech companies from all over the world are doing something related to this promising field. It would take time to list down all the automakers that are currently developing autonomous driving tech, but it says a lot for the field’s potential that tech giants like Apple and Google, as well as ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, all have made huge investments in this space.

Uber’s massive order of Volvo vehicles is just one example of how competitive this business has become.
It’s even turned messy on some fronts. Uber itself is embroiled in a legal battle with Waymo, the old Google self-driving car project that’s been spun off Google parent firm Alphabet Inc. to become its own autonomous car development company. Even in its own sphere, Uber is facing stiffer competition from Lyft, which has its own partnership with Waymo.

If this massive order of Volvo vehicles does come to fruition, expect more deals of its kind to happen in the future, especially when it comes to tech firms who aren’t keen on dealing with the heavy costs that come with developing their own vehicles. These companies are focused on developing the technology. Once that tech is up-and-running, the easiest route to use it is to rely on existing automakers that already have fleets of vehicles that are ready to act as hosts for the technology. That’s what this Volvo – Uber partnership is all about, and if it comes to a point where autonomous driving technology becomes a real and sustainable system, more partnerships of this kind will come to life.

Volvo has been making the XC90 since 2002, and with great success. The first generation SUV sold well all over the globe. Even in the U.S., the XC90 sold roughly 35,000 examples annually before the crash of 2009. Updates late in the first-generation XC90’s life kept it kicking, though with only modest sales in America. That’s all changing with the second-generation XC90, which debuted for the 2015 model year. A highbrow design, an opulent interior, sophisticated powertrain options, and a matured sense of luxury all bring the XC90 into the modern times. Even with the 2017 model already two years old, the Volvo SUV continues to look like a futuristic concept.

To get a better feel for the Swede, I spent a week driving a 2017 XC90 fitted with the T6 AWD powertrain and decked out with the high-end Inscription trim line.

For those unfamiliar, the XC90 (and most Volvos, for that matter) come standard in the Momentum trim. The XC90 is also available in the R-Design, the Inscription, and the range-topping Excellence trim. While the limo-like Excellence trim is absolutely stunning thanks to its reclining second row bucket seats and full-length center console, the Inscription trim provides all the luxury anyone without a chauffer could desire. Skipping the Excellence trim also keeps the XC90’s third-row seats.

So what’s it like to live with the 2017 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription? Keep reading to find out.

Volvo seems to be up to something interesting. Spotted in the wilds of some urban parking lot is this mutant of an XC90 test mule. Hoisted above its rear cargo area with a one-off support system is a steel pedestal presumably holding extra weight. But that’s not the biggest change. No, this experimental vehicle has a lengthened wheelbase. Its rear axle has been pushed rearward, requiring Volvo engineers to cut a larger wheel well into the XC90’s body. This begs the question: what is Volvo testing here?

We’ve heard nothing of Volvo testing some new type of SUV or even pickup truck, but that’s exactly what our minds conjure up. One theory is Volvo is making a long wheelbase version of the XC90 for China. That easily explains the rearward axle placement on this tester, but what about the weights on top? Perhaps Volvo is planning to offer an armored version of its XC90. Rather than installing armor into a test mule, Volvo engineers simply constructed a massive weight to increase the XC90’s center of gravity. Volvo wouldn’t be the first automaker to offer an armored version of a production vehicle. Mercedes and Audi both offer factory armament up-fits.

Another possibility – and one what pickup truck fans might like – is an XC90-based mid-size pickup. Close examination of the high-mounted load put its exactly between the rear doors and ahead of the rear axle. That’s right here heavy loads should go in a pickup. The XC90’s standard wheelbase measures 117.5 inches, but this long-wheelbase version likely has another 10 inches atop that. A 126.5-inch wheelbase would put it directly in line with other mid-size pickups, including the Honda Ridgeline at 125.3 inches, the Nissan Frontier Crew Cab at 125.9 inches, the global T6 Ford Ranger at 127 inches, and the Chevy Colorado Crew Cab Short Box at 128.3 inches.

Will Volvo enter the mid-size truck segment? Keep reading for more speculation.

Volvo Car Group and ride-sharing service Uber have signed up on a $300 million partnership to develop autonomous driving vehicles. It’s the latest partnership between a traditional automaker and a tech firm to accelerate the development of self-driving technology and at the rate these partnerships are being formed, it might be a good idea to start creating a chart to see who has partnered with who.

The Volvo-Uber deal allows both companies to pool their resources together and capitalize on the strengths of each other. For its part, Volvo will send over XC90SUVs to Uber, which in turn will install its autonomous driving system that the company itself is developing for use in its ride-sharing service. Volvo will then use the vehicles with Uber’s self-driving tech for its own strategic purpose. The partnership covers hardware and software developments aimed at addressing important issues surrounding autonomous driving, particularly the safety and security of a system that is poised to redefine the entire auto industry moving forward. Both Volvo and Uber are also seen as 50/50 partners in this endeavor and whatever technology is developed for the purpose of this collaboration will be shared to the other party.

That said, the collaboration doesn’t both companies to one another, an important point considering how competitive the race to develop autonomous driving technology has become. For what it’s worth, Toyota has already made an investment in Uber. Likewise, Volvo and Uber are also part of a bigger lobbying group with Ford,Google, and Lyft to lobby for autonomous driving cars with lawmakers and regulators in the U.S.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the year is 2016, people, and it’s high time we get this whole technology thing kicked into high gear. Yeah, I know you can post cat videos and catch virtual pocket monsters, but I’m talking about real tech, stuff that can actually change the world in a profound way. Not that that video of Mr. Snowball chasing the laser pointer isn’t worthwhile, I’m just saying we can do better. Thankfully, there’s at least a few automakers out there pushing the limits of what’s possible on four wheels, and we’re all a whole lot better for it.

In this list, we’ve compiled the top five high-tech cars you can go buy right now. You know, with money. And while they might not be powered by trilithium extract or be made from carbonized uranium, these five vehicles represent the bleeding edge of transportation. Is your ride among them?

Unveiled for the 2015 model year, the second-generation XC90 is a significant departure from its dated predecessor. Built on the company’s brand-new Scalable Product Architecture platform, the SUV also debuted the brand’s new design language, new interior layout with added luxury features, and the four-cylinder-exclusive engine lineup. Like its forerunner, the second-gen XC90 comes with both gasoline and diesel engines, but also gained a hybrid drivetrain.

Having already received the highly efficient T8 version and the more luxurious Excellence model, the XC90 is set to gain some improvements in the performance department as well. These are scheduled to arrive via Volvo’s performance division, Polestar, but it turns out that the Swedish brand is in no hurry to pump significantly more oomph into the SUV. Instead, Volvo rolled out a Polestar Performance Optimisation Package, which improves performance without impacting fuel economy.

Launched just a week after the introduction of the S90 and V90 optimization, the package is now also available for the XC90 T8 hybrid. Volvo claims that the SUV is as fuel efficient as the standard model, despite the power increase. Like all Polestar Performance Optimisation packages, this one was also developed in collaboration with Polestar Racing driver and four-time Scandinavian Touring Car Championship winner Thed Bjork.

”It is amazing for me as a racing and development driver to be able to work with the same kind of technology and philosophy for the XC90 as with my S60 race car. While an SUV like the XC90 might be far from what we usually work with, the core of the optimisation is the very same thing. It is about creating driving pleasure and usable performance, something I definitely think we have achieved,” said Bjork, who drives a Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 race car.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volvo XC90 T8 With Polestar Performance Optimisation Package.

Unveiled for the 2015 model year, the second-generation XC90 is a significant departure from its dated predecessor. Built on the company’s brand-new Scalable Product Architecture platform, the SUV also debuted the brand’s new design language, new interior layout with added luxury features, and the four-cylinder-exclusive engine lineup. Like its forerunner, the second-gen XC90 comes with both gasoline and diesel engines, but also gained a hybrid drivetrain.

Having already received the highly efficient T8 version and the more luxurious Excellence model, the XC90 is set to gain some improvements in the performance department as well. These are scheduled to arrive via Volvo’s performance division, Polestar, but it turns out that the Swedish brand is in no hurry to pump significantly more oomph into the SUV. Instead, Volvo rolled out a Polestar Performance Optimisation Package, which improves performance without impacting fuel economy.

Launched just a week after the introduction of the S90 and V90 optimization, the package is now also available for the XC90 T8 hybrid. Volvo claims that the SUV is as fuel efficient as the standard model, despite the power increase. Like all Polestar Performance Optimisation packages, this one was also developed in collaboration with Polestar Racing driver and four-time Scandinavian Touring Car Championship winner Thed Bjork.

”It is amazing for me as a racing and development driver to be able to work with the same kind of technology and philosophy for the XC90 as with my S60 race car. While an SUV like the XC90 might be far from what we usually work with, the core of the optimisation is the very same thing. It is about creating driving pleasure and usable performance, something I definitely think we have achieved,” said Bjork, who drives a Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 race car.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volvo XC90 T8 With Polestar Performance Optimisation Package.

It’s Mother’s Day, and we here at TopSpeed wanna show our love and gratitude to all those hardworking mamas out there. But you know, we’re not exactly big on the whole flowers and breakfast in bed thing, so instead, we’ve put together a list of our top seven automotive picks for moms. In this list, we look at a variety of price points and cover all the major family-oriented segments, including minivans,hatchbacks,compactcrossovers,mid-size SUVs,full-size SUVs,wagons, and even something for moms with a craving for velocity. We also talk about features and what makes each pick stand out from the crowd when it comes to things moms might want.

What do you think of our picks? Are we missing a model? What’s your choice for the best mom-mobile? Let us know in the comments section. And don’t forget to call your mom!

It seems like it has been a while since we’ve gotten any major news about autonomous vehicles, but all that is about to change. Volvo is planning to launch a new experiment in which people will test autonomous cars on public roads in everyday driving conditions. The interesting thing is that Volvo is looking to start this experiment in China.

Apparently, the experiment will involve up to 100 cars that will be supplied by Volvo, assuming negotiations go well with select cities in China. If everything works out, local drivers in select cities will be able to ride around in the autonomous cars while data is collected. For now, it is just a plan, but in the coming months, Volvo is hoping to negotiate to get the necessary permission, regulations, and infrastructure for the experiments to take place. China has already made some pretty impressive strides in autonomous technology, but Volvo’s President and Chief Executive of Volvo, Hakan Samuelsson, wants to encourage China to do more to speed up the implementation of regulations that will oversee autonomous cars.

In fact, Samuelsson believes governments should step up and provide help to the auto industry in speeding up the process. In a recent press release, he said, “The sooner AD cars are on the roads, the sooner lives will start being saved. There are multiple benefits to AD cars, and that is why governments need to put in place the legislation to allow AD cars onto the streets as soon as possible. The car industry cannot do it all by itself. We need governmental help.”

It’s really no surprise to see Volvo stepping up and pushing the issue now. As you can probably recall, autonomous cars are a huge part of the brand’s commitment to nobody being seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo by 2020. For now, autonomous cars are still a long way off, but if it keeps getting pushed as Volvo is doing now, eventually the laws and regulations will be put into place. Let’s just hope it doesn’t happen before the technology is ready.

Earlier this month we named TopSpeed’s picks for car, truck, and performance car of the year. Following out strict criteria of judging things like overall improvement in design, safety, value and intended function (among other things,) we chose the Mazda MX-5 Miata as the car of the year, and the Nisan Titan XD as truck of the year. Following our points system, the Miata and Titan scored 32 points and 30 points, respectively. It was a relatively close battle, though, with the 2016 Honda Civic taking 20 points and the 2016 Volvo XC90 taking 24 points, earning them both a second place spot on our list in their respective segments. As it turns out, those second place picks have officially been named Car and Truck of the year, so you could say we judged the automotive market pretty well this year.

The North American Car of the Year and Truck of the Year is chosen by a group of 53 international automotive journalists. All 53 journalists are from the U.S. or Canada, and they carefully consider each model before naming the absolute best. Sometimes it can be difficult to get a small group of people to agree on something, so just imagine the conversations between this select group of people.

When it comes to deciding a winner for each category, the journalists take into consideration things like design, safety, performance, innovation, value, and even driver satisfaction. I’m sure it wasn’t a very easy choice to come to, but this year, the group chose the 2016 Honda Civic as the North American Car of the Year and the Volvo XC90 as the 2016 North American Truck of the Year.

The 2016 Honda Civic was redesigned for the 2016 model year, and was underpinned by a whole new vehicle platform. Safety features included things like Honda Sensing and a list of semi-autonomous technologies like lane departure warning with lane keep assist, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and an automatic emergency braking system. It is also the first compact car in the world to include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as part of its infotainment system. It’s also the first Civic to take on Honda’s turbo engine technology. It should be noted that both the Sedan and Coupe variants of the Civic are built in either Indiana or Ontario, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

The Volvo XC90 was chosen as Truck of the Year by the same 53 automotive journalists. This year, it too is built on a whole new architecture and includes a whole new powertrain and semi-autonomous technology. Offering up configurations in the five- or seven-passenger variety, the XC90 is a trusted family hauler, and available with several engine configurations. At the low end, the XC90 offers up 250 horsepower, while a 316 horsepower turbocharged engine is also available. In hybrid form, the XC90 offers up and amazing 400 horsepower and 53 MPGe – the first seven-passenger plug-in hybrid vehicle. Like all Volvo models, the XC90 comes with Volvo’s amazing City Safety system that includes automatic emergency braking, pilot assist, and pedestrian protection. The XC90 was also on the IIHS’ Safety Pick+ list.

The new 2015 Volvo XC90 R-Design have made its way to the British market where it now available from £49,785. This almost 50 grand SUV is still the most family-oriented car you can buy, but it’s been garnished with sporty features as well, presumably to stop dad from getting depressed!

We are yet to get a fully kitted-out, production Volvo XC90 Polestar, but the Swedish car maker is ready to release the first stages of upgrades for the family SUV in form of power kits for D4 and D5 diesel and T5 and T6 petrol Drive-E engines.

The ‘Polestar Performance Optimisation’ are designed for real-life enhancement of the car’s drivability and joy of driving. They are not just about numbers. By boosting the power and torque figures of both the D5 diesel and T6 petrol Drive-E engines – especially at medium revs – and speeding up the gearshifts, the kits enable Volvo XC90 Polestar to accelerate faster, pull better, and overtake with more ease, thus making the experience of driving the car more effortless.

Developed by the engineers of Polestar and the racing drivers of Polestar Cyan Racing, Volvo XC90 Polestar performance kit for the D5 Drive-E engine gives out a total of 233 hp and 500 Nm of torque (up from 225 hp and 470 Nm), while the the T6 Drive-E is boosted to 334 hp and 440 Nm (from 320 hp and 400 Nm. As for the D4 diesel (available in the S60, V40, V40 Cross Country, V60 and XC60) it gets 200 hp and 440 Nm (up from 190 hp and 400 Nm), while the T5 Drive-E gets 253 hp and 400 Nm (from 245 hp and 350 Nm).

Polestar Performance Optimisation kits are priced at £835 and take about 30 minutes to install at an authorized Volvo dealer.

The Volvo XC90 is one of the best-selling and most critically well-received models from the Swedish brand. Since its inception in 2002 the XC90 has been praised for its incredible build quality and its family-friendly design. Despite its many great features, very little has changed for the XC90 in the last 12 years, and the car is starting to show its age. The refresh in 2007 and the updates over the last few years have been merely stop gaps for this; the all-new second-generation Volvo XC90. The SUV was just redesigned for the 2016 model year and the Swedes updated it in every department. Brand-new styling, a completely reworked interior and state-of-the art convenience and safety features are here to help the XC90 give its competitors a run for their money.

The platform is also all-new and brings a hybrid drivetrain with it. A first for the XC90, which enters a new era that focuses on fuel economy more than anything else. Gone are the 4.4-liter V-8 and the 3.2-liter inline-six. This SUV is now a four-cylinder exclusive machine. Don’t worry though, power is still up there and the amount of technology is greater than ever before.

So let’s jump right into it, shall we?

Updated 09/17/2015: The new Volvo XC90 was awarded the “Top Safety Pick+” rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

These days it is the norm for car makers to copy each other’s designs and ideas, kind of like the makers of smartphones. When Mercedes came up with the CLS, suddenly everybody wanted a four-door coupe. And then BMW made the X6, coupe-like SUVs came into focus. So it’d be not at all surprising if tomorrow we see something like Volvo XC90 Coupe.

This body style is all the rage right now and it is appealing enough to make even a super conservative car maker like Volvo want to give it a try. For all we know they might be secretly working on a Volvo XC90 Coupe. This rendering by X-Tomi Design gives us an idea what such a thing might look like.

Regardless of what you think about the design, there is no denying that Volvo XC90 Coupe will be in affront to everything this car maker, and this particular model, stand for. The XC90 is widely regarded as THE finest family-oriented SUV, offering the most logical practical design and such quality that the car will probably outlive the family it is servicing.

So will Volvo ever be able to risk all their traditional values and sacrifice practicality and logic for style and fashion? Right now, probably not. But if the demand for trendy vehicles keep growing at its current pace, it could happen.

These days it is the norm for car makers to copy each other’s designs and ideas, kind of like the makers of smartphones. When Mercedes came up with the CLS, suddenly everybody wanted a four-door coupe. And then BMW made the X6, coupe-like SUVs came into focus. So it’d be not at all surprising if tomorrow we see something like Volvo XC90 Coupe.

This body style is all the rage right now and it is appealing enough to make even a super conservative car maker like Volvo want to give it a try. For all we know they might be secretly working on a Volvo XC90 Coupe. This rendering by X-Tomi Design gives us an idea what such a thing might look like.

Regardless of what you think about the design, there is no denying that Volvo XC90 Coupe will be in affront to everything this car maker, and this particular model, stand for. The XC90 is widely regarded as THE finest family-oriented SUV, offering the most logical practical design and such quality that the car will probably outlive the family it is servicing.

So will Volvo ever be able to risk all their traditional values and sacrifice practicality and logic for style and fashion? Right now, probably not. But if the demand for trendy vehicles keep growing at its current pace, it could happen.

Heico Sportiv to Volvo is like Brabus to Mercedes-Benz. They are not an in-house tuner as such, but they know those cars inside out and are always the first to release an upgrade package for them. So here’s Heico’s take on the all-new 2015 Volvo XC90.

The kit is still under development, but Heico Sportiv released these renderings to show what they have in mind for the world’s most family friendly SUV. The 2015 Volvo XC90 gets in this program a thorough upgrade covering everything from the body, to the wheels, suspension, interior, and of course engines.

On the styling front Heico Sportiv Volvo XC90 gets revised front and rear fascia with custom grille and skirts, as well as fender flares and new sills. The tuner also adds new tailpipes, new 22 or 23-inch wheels (complete with lowered suspension), and then wraps the whole thing in a special color. What emerges as the result of all these efforts is a handsome but still hugely practical family bus.

When it’s ready, Hecio’s 2015 Volvo XC90 will get a custom interior treatment as well as power upgrade kits for all the engines in the range including D4, D5, T5 and T6 powertrains.